How Can You Motivate Yourself To Work Out?
Whether you’re at the beginning of your health journey or pushing to set your next personal record, motivation can be hard to come by, especially when most of us are spending more time working from home.
This is especially true for those who have just started a new workout routine — it’s tough to get out of your comfort zone at the start of your fitness journey because it is a new routine and habit that hasn't been set yet.
There are always days when you feel like you can’t reach your weight loss or fitness goals or that you’re not progressing as fast as you should no matter how much you train. It’s vital that you don’t let these days drag you down and kill your fitness motivation, but that’s easier said than done.
You might not have faced these days yet, but being prepared will help you conquer that voice in your head that’s telling you to quit or do one less rep.
What Are the Best Ways To Motivate Yourself?
There are somany ways you can motivate yourself to get in the gym for that next HIIT session or CrossFit workout.
The follow are some of the most effective and common ways to get motivated to work out, but not all methods will work for you. If something isn’t working for you, give it time, and if it still isn’t working after a while, simply move on to the next one.
From having a workout buddy or personal trainer to giving yourself a wardrobe boost, there are countless ways to get motivated.
Work Out With Friends
One of the biggest issues for many men trying to losing weight or get in better shape is accountability.
When you’re working out by yourself, it’s easy to make excuses - it’s hard to get out of bed, I’m a bit low energy today, I only got 8 hours of sleep instead of 9. And sometimes, even when you do make it to the gym, you can’t seem to kickstart that motivation to start cranking out reps.
That’s where a workout buddy comes in handy. Working out with other people is awesome for a couple of reasons.
First, you’re going to need someone that makes sure you’re sticking to your routine. Hopefully, they will always be there to pick you up, encourage you, and throw in a little tough love or an inspiration when needed.
Second, it makes the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. To some, working out can get repetitive and even a little boring. Sharing a laugh and catching up while lifting or going for a run makes the experience seem like less of a chore, and it’s also a great way to spend time with your friends while working on yourself - two birds with one stone.
So, the next time you head out to the gym, text a friend and make it a regular thing. It could make all the difference.
Set Attainable Goals
Before you start a new routine, it’s best to set simple, attainable, and measurable goals.
Gain this amount of muscle, lose that amount of weight — vaguely saying “I am going to start working out” leaves too much room to skip a session since you don’t have a defined goal to track towards and focus on, and it can be a slippery slope for motivational roadblocks in the future.
You should always be working towards something - the more challenging the better - but keep in mind that your goal should be achievable rather than too lofty. There’s nothing wrong with setting a lofty goal, but in order to ensure you are more likely to achieve that lofty goal, set smaller milestones that are incremental and that will eventually build you up to achieve that lofty goal. Don’t set out to run a marathon if you haven’t run long distances in the past - start by aiming to run 2 miles, then incrementally add an additional mile every week or two until you hit a full marathon.
Impossible goals can deter you, and they are too easy to give up on.
Before you sit down and write out your goals, be sure that you know you can reach them. Obviously, you should still shoot for the stars — just make sure they’re attainable stars.
Find a Workout You Love
One of our favorite motivational tips is finding a workout that you actually enjoy.
Sometimes exercise can get pretty mundane. Cardio specifically, is a known killer of motivation and routine. Hats off if you enjoy your treadmill or jogging — but most people have a love-hate relationship stationary cardio. Rather than plugging away at a treadmill, you should try “hidden” forms of cardio such as boxing, crossfit, swimming or sports such as football and basketball. Playing sports is a much more involved and challenging way to do cardio since you’re introducing competition into your workout. And if sports are not your thing, try bodybuilding, although weight lifting is not a great form of cardio.
Track Your Progress
Tracking your hard work is an awesome way to challenge (and motivate) yourself.
Trying to get your running time as low as possible and seeing how much more weight you can add when you squat are all excellent ways to keep you going.
Another example is tracking your progress by weighing yourself every day. Seeing numbers or progress can get addicting and can boost your motivation to build compounding effect - the more weight you can lift, the more motivated and energized you are, the more you push yourself while lifting to reach your next milestone, and so on. And if you see you aren’t progressing, that should motivate you even more.
Either way, you should add progress tracking to your motivational arsenal.
Revamp Your Workout Wardrobe
Nothing boosts your confidence like new workout clothes that perform well and make you look great. All Citizens purpose-built two training shorts for different workouts - the Contender Training Shorts are meant for you everyday athlete and is a great generalist pair of shorts to handle any activity, while the heavyweight training shorts are built to take a beating for crossfit and HIIT. Both shorts are made with double-lined stitches and reinforced stress points for incredible durability, 360-degree stretch, and durable performance fabric that’s sweat-wicking and dries quickly. Plus, these shorts have plenty of pockets — including one for your phone — to combine style, function and secure storage. Go the distance… and then some.
Then, All Citizens introduced two workout T shirt lines to handle a wide range of workouts and sports. The Runweight t-shirts are lightweight and incredibly breathable, making them excellent for runs, while the Essential t-shirt is slightly heavier and great for sports and weights. Whichever you choose, you’ll get to experience that same 360-degree stretch, supremely soft performance microfiber, wrinkle resistance and tailored athletic fit.
Performance ankle socks ensure your feet stay dry and protected against chafing and blisters. Their cushioned footbed, anti-chafe back, and mesh breathe zones come together to perfect your athletic fit from head to toe.
Finally, the Re:Luxe High V undershirt is perfect for cyclists because of its form-fitting properties and long back that ensures it will stay tucked in. And, of course, we can’t forget about its anti-odor, eco-friendly performance microfiber, mesh breathe zones, and 360-degree stretch.
There are several product bundles as part of the $99 Drawer Refresh where you can get a whole workout kit for just $99. You shouldn’t have to break the bank just tog et great performance apparel.
No matter what training you're pursuing, every All Citizens product is equipped with moisture-wicking fabric to keep you dry and performing at your best, all while being half the price of other athleticwear.
Rotate Between Different Activities and Workouts
This is important for two reasons: 1) repetitiveness will kill your drive and your muscles will get used to the workout, so it will be less effective. Switch it up as often as you can without sacrificing your routine, and never do the same workout two days in a row.
2) You should be doing this anyway. Cardio, push, pull, leg, and core days should always be mixed into your routines. You can even switch between bodyweightat-home workouts and strength training days in the gym.
Doing the same workout every day won’t allow you to exercise every part of your body, so it’s vital you have designated days for different parts of your body.
Make Time for Recovery and Sleep
We’ve all fallen victim to being overworked and over stimulated, and there seems to be a badge of honor in our society for working really long hours and not getting enough sleep.
Sleep is one of the most important things for building muscle and getting more fit - it gives you enough energy for the next day and for your next workout, and ensures that your muscles rebuild and recover.
Additionally, it’s not good to work out every day of the week not matter hor motivated you are. Your body and muscles need time to recover, so aim to work out 5 days a week instead of 7.
Taking a few days off should never bring you down or dissuade you from your routine. Even the pros take days off.
Ensure that you’re getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night, or you risk exhaustion and burning out.
Get Inspiration From Social Media
No matter where you look, you’ll be able to find something on social media that will get you into that “grindset.”
Athletes and people you look up to in the fitness world, quotes, songs, and videos - there are tons of people who specialize in exercise motivation that give their advice all for free. You will have no trouble finding something that gets you going.
Join a Class
Even if motivation isn’t a concern, joining a class can still be a fun addition to your routine.
If motivation is a concern, having something scheduled and set in stone will help a ton. This is especially true if you pay for the class — you won’t want to waste your money.
Kickboxing, cycling, yoga, personal trainer. There are an infinite amount of options to choose from, so pick your poison.
This also piggybacks off of working out with a buddy and exercise that isn’t repetitive. If you have a good instructor, they will end up switching and tweaking the routine from class to class so that you never get bored.
Make a Killer Workout Playlist
One of our personal favorites - a killer workout playlist can make all the difference when working out.
From Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” to The White Stripes’s “Seven Nation Army” and J Cole’s “MIDDLE CHILD” - whatever your vibe, chances are there are plenty of songs that will get you into the zone. And to make things easier, Spotify already has prebuilt playlists with different genres of workout music.
When you plug your headphones in and the music starts blaring, you are instantly transported to your own world where all of the worries and troubles wash away. Nobody can disrupt your grind when you’re in the zone..
Working Out Shouldn’t Be Complicated
If this is your first time working on your fitness - hang in there if you’re really struggling to find motivation. There are so many more methods out there than the ones we’ve listed and we’re sure you’ll find something that works for you - just keep searching for what brings you energy and focus.
At All Citizens, we take pride in democratizing comfort for everyone, and nothing’s more comfortable than feeling good in your own skin. We’ll see you out there, and remember: you got this.
Sources:
Exercise with a friend | Better Health
